Improvement in automatic circuit-closers for telegraph apparatus



GEORGE LITTLE.

Improvement in Automatic Current Closer for Telegraph Apparatus.

No. 120,291. Patentedot. 24,1871.

pig/@WMM GEORGE LITTLE, OF RUTHERFORD PARK, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT-CLUSEHS FUR TELEGRAPH APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 120,291, dated October 24, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, GEORGE LITTLE, of Rutherford Park, in the county of Bergen and State oi' N ew Jersey, have invented an Improved Automatic Circuit-Closer, and the following is declared to be a correct description thereof.

This inventionis a modification ot' and improvement upon the circuit-closing roller patented by me June 13, 1871, No. 115,968.

In my present invention I employ a metallic roller that is hollow, and made with a thin shell perforated with numerous small holes in two or more ranges, and into these pins are inserted with heads on their inner ends, resting against expansive rings of thin sheet metal kept distended by their own expansive qualities, or by India-rubber rings within the same. By this construction the projecting pins will yield to the paper or pass through the perforations to close the circuit and this circuit-closing roller also becomes one of the rolle-rs that draws the paper along, thereby simplitying the apparatus. At the sides of the saidv circuit-closing roller are non-conducting disks that prevent metallic contact between the edges of such roller and the trough -v shaped roller in which the paper passes.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side view, representing the automatic circuit-closing apparatus, and the said roller partially in section; and Fig. 2 is a cross-section of said roller and elevation of a portion-of the metal roller over which the perforated paper passes.

The metallic roller a is supported upon a shaft or gudgeon, b, in a suitable frame, and is in metallic contact with one of the circuit wires. This roller a is made with iianges 2 2 to guide the paper. The strip of perforated paperpasses through the trough d, and friction is applied by the springbrush e or other suitable means. The circuitclosing and paper-moving roller is mounted upon an arm, k, and drawn toward the paper and roller a by a spring, l, or otherwise, and this circuitclosing roller is in metallic contact with the other circuit wire a, but insulated from the roller a. The metallic rim 'i of the circuit-closing roller is connected with the hub 3, and said rim is perforated with numerous holes in one, two, or more lines, and into these holes pins o are inserted having heads upon their inner ends so that they will not fall out; and these pins are preferably of platina. Within the said circuit-closing roller there is an expansive ring or rings bto keep the pins o projected, but allow them to yield by pressure upon the strip oi' paper, so that those that do not touch the paper may' close the circuit by contact with the roller ar through the perforations ot' the paper. l prefer that a thin steel spring intervene between the rubber ring s and the head of the pin so as to insure metallic Contact and prevent risk of insulation of either of the pins by any intervening dirt 5 but metallic Ioil or gilded lace upon the surface of the rubber may be employed in place thereof. The disks a, of hard rubber or other non-conductin g material, form the sides that inclose the roller, and also serve to prevent metallic contact with the flanges 2 2 of the roller af.

I claim as my invention- 1. The circuitclosing roller, made of one or more ranges of headed pins inserted through the shell of said roller and pressed outwardly by a spring, ring or rings, substantially as set forth.

2. The circuit-closing roller with spring-pins combined with the roller a, and acting to feed the paper, as set forth.

3. Thenon-eonduct-ing disks u forming the sides of the circuit-closing roller, for the purposes set forth.

Signed by me this 7th day of September, A. D.

Witnesses GEO. T. PINGKNEY,

HAROLD SEERELL. (50) 

